Letter to the Editor: Negative trends will hurt Ohio

February 15, 2004
Dayton Daily News

SOMETIMES I DESPAIR OF OHIO.

First, concealed weapons. Soon anyone in public places — supermarket, mall or movie, unless specifically barred — can be packing heat. And this is supposed to make me feel safe?

True, it will still be against the law to actually shoot me, but perfectly OK to carry the means to do so.

I am no longer listening to the claim that a "law-abiding citizen has the right to protect himself." From whom, for heaven's sake? Customers in stores? Restaurant patrons? Who among us feels so threatened that only a gun makes him or her feel safe? What is the rationale?

Ohio loses population every year. This is not good for Ohio. Our legislators should...stop making Ohio the last place on earth a person wants to live.

Carolyn Sieber
Washington Twp.

Commentary:
Carolyn claims people are moving away from Ohio due to issues like concealed carry. Aside from the fact that the population decline started long before this law was passed, and aside from the recent Zogby poll which found that right-to-carry laws have better than a 70% favorability rating, even among non-gun-owners, we wonder where she thinks these people are moving.

44 other states have some form of legalized method of bearing arms for self-defense, including every state that borders Ohio. Furthermore, census statistics prove they're moving to the South - where concealed carry has been law for years.

For her to ask who so many Ohioans are hoping to protect themselves from, she either:

a) doesn't read the Dayton Daily News very often, or
b) doesn't know anyone who's ever been the victim of an act of violence, or
c) believes Ohioans cannot be trusted with responsibilities most in the rest of the nation now enjoy, or
d) all of the above

This letter was edited to include Carolyn's comments on concealed-carry only. To view her entire letter, click here.